Games off to a world class start

The globe's best triathletes and a host of Olympic champion swimmers and cyclists will give the Commonwealth Games the vindication they crave with a world class opening on Thursday.

Reigning world champions Alistair Brownlee and Flora Duffy headline the men's and women's triathlon which offers the first of 19 gold medals on day one of the Gold Coast Games.

Later in the day, Mack Horton is out to match his 400m freestyle Olympic gold, as are Australia's world record 4x100m freestyle relay swimmers as they bid to give the home team a flying start to the Games.

And at the Anna Meares Velodrome in Brisbane, the world's best men's and women's pursuit teams open up Australia's battle for cycling supremacy with England.

But tiny Bermuda could be sitting on top of the medal table in the morning if Duffy wins the first gold of the Games, while Gold Coast local Ashleigh Gentle, the world No.3 and world championships silver medallist, heads a strong Australian contingent.

England's dual Olympic champion Brownlee and his brother, world No.2 Jonny, lead the men's pack, although a host of world-ranked Commonwealth rivals are breathing down their neck.

South African pair Richard Murray and Henri Schoeman and New Zealand's Ryan Sissons are all in the world top 10, while Australia's Jake Birtwhistle at No.11 give the race an elite feel.

While the Brownlees are clear favourites, Alistair's recent hip surgery and the shorter sprint course over a 750m swim, 20km bike and 5km run - half the Olympic distance - will give the others a leg-up.

The brothers work well together, taking the gold and silver double at the London Olympics and Glasgow Commonwealth Games. Alistair even hauled an exhausted Jonny over the last kilometre of a race in Mexico two years ago.

But, this time, he vows to be ruthless.

"I've done my friendly bit for my brother," he said. "So I won't be helping him halfway around this course, no.

"People might call these the friendly games, but at the end of the day you're on that start line with 30 other people you want to beat."

Horton is expected to win the 400m freestyle, while Australia's Emma McKeon could win two gold on the night as she joins her Olympic relay teammates and then aims to go one better than the silver she won in the 200m freestyle at last year's world titles.

One competitor is already guaranteed a medal even before competition starts in the women's boxing.

After one fighter withdrew from the eight-woman 51kg field, Australian Taylah Robertson was the lucky one given a first round bye and direct entry to the semis and a guaranteed bronze at least.